Pinch type bending roll



Nov. 23, 1943. J. c. ROSE ETAL 2,335,028

. PINCH TYPE BENDING ROLL Filed May 5; 1942 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 oezvExNov. 23, 1943.,

J. c. ROSE ET AL PIN-CH TYPE BENDING ROLL Filed May 5; 1942 2 SheetsShee1 2 A363 iyi Patented Nov. 23, 1943 2,335,028 PINGH TYPE BENDING ROLLJess 0. Rose and George E. Stankey, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors toBardwell & McAlister, Los Angcles, Calif., a corporation of CaliforniaApplication May 5, 1942,, Serial No. 441,852

9 Claims.

This invention relates generally to bending rolls of the pinch type, andis more particularly concerned with improvements in pinch type bendingrolls permitting the eifective rolling of stock of channelcross-section.

In pinch type bending rolls, the stock to be rolled or bent is passedbetween two pinch rolls which closely support or pinch the metal betweenthem as it is bent. A supporting roll supports one side of the stockjust ahead of the two pinch rolls, and a bending roll engages anddeflects it just beyond them, causing the metal to bend at the pinchrolls. The position of the bending roll with reference to the pinchrolls of course determines the amount of bend or curvature imparted tothe stock. I

The aim in such bending rolls is to confine and support the metalclosely at the pinch rolls, i. e., at the point of bend, so as toeffectively control the flow of the metal in such a way as to assureobtainment of the desired bend or curvature, without introducing twistor other distortions. It has heretofore been found impossible, however,to handle stock of channel cross-section in such bending rolls,particularly when the stock is composed of some of the hardened aluminumalloys, for the reason that the flanges of the channel are unsupportedfrom their inner sides, and tend to buckle, kink, or otherwise fail atthe point of the bend, i. e., at the pinch rolls, with the result thatthe channel twists and buckles and refuses completely to assume thedesired curvature.

The primary object of the present invention is accordingly theprovision, in a pinch type bending roll, of means enabling the rollingand bending of stock of channel cross-section, even when formed ofmaterials particularly difficult to handle, such as hardened aluminumalloys.

In accordance with the invention, the bending I roll is equipped with apair of loading rolls which engage and load the inside of thechannel-shaped stock opposite the points of engagement by the pinchrolls. These loading rolls adequately support the channel from insideduring the bending operation, and serve to prevent buckling and kinkingof the stock, to the end that it comes from the roll with perfectlysmooth curvature, and without twist.

The invention will be better understood by now referring to thefollowing detailed description of a present illustrative embodimentthereof,

reference for this purpose being had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a bending roll of the pinch type equippedwith the improvements of the present invention;

Fig. la. is a detail taken on line laia of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the opposite end of the bending rollillustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3a is a detail section taken on line 3a-3 a of Fig. 3;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail taken from Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 4, but showing a modification; and

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing another modification.

For the purpose of clearly disclosing the improveme'nts provided by thepresent invention, we have shown in the drawings and will describe acomplete bending roll of the pinch type equipped with the improvementsprovided by the present invention; it is to be understood, however, thatthis is for illustrative purposes only, and that the present inventionis also adaptable to bending rolls of other design.

In the drawings, numeral ll) designates generally a main frame made upof parallel vertical side plates H and i2 connected by tie rods I2-a.Angle members l3 secured to plates Ii and I2 at the bottom provide feetadapted to engage a bench or other horizontal supporting surface.

A horizontal main drive'shaft I5 is journaled in suitable bearings inframe plates H and I2, being driven from its right hand end, as viewedin Fig. 3, from any suitable power means, not illustrated, while itsopposite end projects somewhat forwardly of frame plate H, as shown.Above and in alignment with shaft l5, frame plates i! and 12 are formedwith vertical guide slots it for vertically adjustable bearing blocksii, and journaled in said blocks I1 is a pinch roll shaft IS, the latterbeing thus disposed above main drive shaft I5, and being usuallyparallel to or nearly parallel to shaft l5.

Vertical lead screws 29 disposed in frame plate guide slots it have attheir lower ends reduced screw threaded portions 2| set into bearingblocks I1, and jam nuts 29a on said screw threaded portions 2! are settightly against blocks 67 to prevent rotation of the lead screws aft-erthey have been adjusted. The lead screws 28 extend upwardly throughhousings 22 mounted on the tops of the frame plates H and I2. Thesehousings 22 confine worm wheels 23, which surround and have screwthreaded engagement with the lead screws 25. Meshing with worm wheels 23are worms 24, which are contained within housings 22 and are mounted ona horizontal shaft 25 having on one end a crank 26, the shaft 25 beingjournaled in housings 22 in any suitable manner.

shaft I5 by any suitable gear arrangement per-' mitting verticaladjustment of shaft It with reference to shaft I 5, a gear arrangementpermitting such adjustment is designated at in the drawings. This geararrangement includes a spur gear 3I keyed on drive shaft I5, a spur gear32 keyed on shaft I8, an idler gear 33 meshing with and driven by gear3!, and another idler gear 34 meshing with idler gear 33 and also withgear 32 (see Fig. 2). Idler gear 33 is carried by a shaft 35 mounted inarms 36 positioned on opposite sides of gears 3I and 33 and provided attheir one ends with circular openings 31 which rotatably receivebushings 38 on drive shaft I5. A clamp screw passing through the otheror swinging ends of said arms 36 projects through an arcuate slot 4| inframe plate I2, a suitable washer 42 being placed on said screw betweenframe plate I2 and the arm 35 adjacent thereto. and a clamp nut 43 onthe portion of screw 43 that projects through the slot 4| being set upagainst plate I2 to clamp the arms 36 in any position of angularadjustment. Shaft 45 carrying gear 34 is supported in the forward endsof a pair 7 of swinging arms 46, the rearward ends of which haveopenings 41 passing shaft I8 and receiving co-axial bosses 48 formed onthe two sides of gear 32 (see Fig. 3), while the two shafts 35 and 45are connected by links 49 which serve to hold. the gears 33 and 34 inmesh. It will be evident that, clamp screw 4!! being loosened, pinchshaft I8 and its gear 32 may be vertically adjusted without interferingwith the mesh of the gears 3|, 33, 34 and 32, the arms 35 and 45 simplyswinging somewhat and the several gears rolling slightly on one anotheras the adjustment is made.

A bending roll shaft 53, arranged parallel to and to one side of driveshaft I5; is journaled at its two ends in a pair of journal blocks 5!which are slidably mounted in guide ways 52 (see Fig. l) in the two arms53 of a swinging bending roll 'carriage, generally designated by numeral53.

This carriage 54, which also includes a cross-bar 60 connecting theouter ends of arms 53, is received in the space between the two endplates II and I2 of the main frame, and the inner ends of its two arms53 have perforations 55 receiving suitable bushings surrounding driveshaft I5.

The shaft I 5 thus rotates within, and at the same timesupports, thearms 53 of carriage 54, while the latter is capable of angularadjustment about the axis of shaft I5. The carriage 54 may be set in anyposition of angular adjustment by means of a suitable clamp screw 56passing through an arcuate slot 51 in frame plate I I and threaded intoa lug 58 formed on the adjacent carriage arm 53. It will now be clearthat movement of journal blocks 5| along slots 52 in arms 53 of thecarriage 54 will adjust the spacing of shaft 50 carried by said blockswith reference to drive shaft I 5, and also, that angular adjustment ofthe carriage 54 by swinging movement thereof about shaft I5 will adjustthe elevation of shaft 50 with reference to shaft I 5.

There remains for description suitable means by which these adjustmentsmay be made. Movement of journal blocks 5I along slots 52 isaccomplished by means of screws 59 having screw threaded engagement withthe cross-bar 65 of carriage 54, and carrying the blocks 5| at theirends, the screws being turned by means of cranks 59a. The cross bar 60of carriage 54 carries bearings SI for the two end portions of ahorizontal shaft 62, the extremities of which project beyond saidbearings and carry spur gears 53 in mesh with arcuate rack gears 64which are concentric with the pivot axis of the carriage 54, and whichare mounted on the two frame plates II and I2. Cross bar 65 alsocarries, midway between its two arms 53, a mounting 65 for a shaft 3icarrying a Worm 68 meshing with a worm wheel 59 fast on shaft 62. Clampscrew 55 being loosened, rotation of shaft 67, as by means'of manualcrank tfa, effects rotation of shaft 62 through wormwheel I59 and worm68, and therefore rotation of spur gears 53 with resulting translationof the latter along rack 64, thereby effecting angular adjustment ofcarriage 54 about the axis of main drive shaft I5.

Drive shaft I5 and bending roll shaft 55 are drivingly interconnected bya suitable means which will permit the described adjustments of carriage54 and of shaft 50 to be made. A sprocket I0 tightly mounted on driveshaft I5 is connected by chain II with a sprocket I2 which is relativelyrotatable on an intermediate shaft 73, and the sprocket I2 is fast withanother sprocket I4, also relatively rotatable on shaft I3, andconnected by chain 15 with a sprocket f5 fast on the shaft 50.

Shafts I5 and I3 are spaced by means of a pair of connecting links BI],and shafts l3 and 55 by means of a pair of connecting links 3I, shaftsI5'and 511 being relatively rotatable within the ends of the respectivearms and 8I. Shaft 53 is thus driven through chains 'II and I5 from maindrive shaft I 5, and it will be understood that the described drivinginterconnection between said shafts permits the shaft 53 to be adjustedtoward and from the shaft I5, as well as the angular position of thecarriage to be adjusted, the angle between the connecting arms 8!] and8| increasing or decreasing in accordance The end of bending roll shaft53 corresponding to frame plate I I projects through a frame opening inthe latter and carries at its end, outside of plate 'I I a usual bendingroll 35, the latter being understood to be in the usual form of acylinder or disc, having a Width dimension, parallel to shaft 53,adequate to engage and support the full Width of the stock S to beengaged thereby. On the opposite side ofdrive shaft I5 from the bendingroll 86 is an initial supporting roll 87, which is rotatably mounted ona suitable mandrel 88 secured to frame plate I I by means of a clampscrew 89 passing through a slot 89' in plate II, the slot 89permitting'vertical adjustment of roll El,

as will be understood. This roll 81 is also generally cylindrical inform, and of a width adequate to engage the full width of stock S. Itwill be understood that the two rolls 8'! and 86 are in alignment, onebehind the other, and are of comparable width, so that the stockengaging and traveling over the cylindrical periphery of initial roll8'! will subsequently engage and travel over the cylindrical peripheryof bending roll 86.

Keyed on the portion of drive shaft I5 projecting beyond frame plate I Iare three flat discs 9i], 9! and 92, of progressively increasingdiameters, and keyed on the corresponding portion of shaft it are threesimilar discs 93, 94 and 95, said discs being placed in face to facecontact, and being confined on their respective shaftsby means ofwashers 96 and screws 91 threaded into the ends of the shafts. Theinside rolls 9d and 93 are spacers, the intermediate rolls 9i and 9d arethe pinch rolls, which are adjusted by means of the verticallyadjustable shaft I8 to firmly engage the lateral edges or surfaces ofthe stock to be rolled, and the outside rolls 92 and 95 serve to back upand confine the back or outside surface of the stock. driven by powerrotation of drive shaft I5, the stock passes first over the initialsupporting roll then between the pinch rolls er and at, and finally overthe bending roll 85, the position of which determines the curvaturewhich will be imparted to the stock, though the actual bending occursbetween the pinch rolls. In the example of Figs. 3 and 4, the stock is achannel. member having web Illil, flanges Iii I and inwardly turnedflange portions I92. Asillustrated, the flanges MI are engaged by theperipheries of pinch rolls ii and 534, while the web I!!!) is backed upby the larger diameter rolls 92 and 95.

Now, without support from inside the channel, it is practicallyimpossible to impart a smooth curvature to such a channel member,particularly when the channel is composed of certain materials such ashardened aluminum alloys. Accordingly, the present invention providesmeans for loading the channel from the inside, whereby the flanges IIiIare maintained in firm contact with the peripheries of the pinch rolls9! and 94. This end is accomplished by the provision of a pair of small,cylindrical loading rolls I54 and 5 i155, rotatably mounted on parallelstuds i GB pro- ,iecting from a carrier block it? positioned adjacentthe flange portions Hi2, said rolls being re-- ceived inside the channeland arranged so as to engage and support the edges of the flangeportions B92, in the manner clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and l. Thefront face of the loading roll carrier block It'I will be seen in Figs.3 and 4 to be located between the spacer rolls 9E and 93, and to overlapand be confined by portions of the pinch rolls SI and 94. The rearwardportion of the block It? is received and is vertically slidable within avertical guide groove IIEl formed in the adjacent face of a guide plateIII, positioned between the spacer rolls 9!] and 93 and collars I I2 andIIS fastened on the shafts I5 and I8, respectively. As illustrated, thelower portion of plate ii i has a bushed opening H5 which passes driveshaft i5, and has a vertical slot IIt passing the vertically adjustableshaft I8. The plate III is thus carried by drive shaft I5, which isrotatable within its lower portion, and is supported in upright positionby shaft IS. The loading roll carrier block thus floats vertically onplate III,

The pinch and bending rolls being ill permitting it to conform to anyirregularities on the surfaces of the channel shaped stock S.

Fig. 6 shows a modification designed to accommodate a channel memberwithout the inwardly bent flange portions Ill-2 of Fig. i; in otherwords, the channel in Fig. 6 has merely the usual web I28 and sideflanges I2I. In this instance, the loading rolls lii ia are arranged toengage the full inside surfaces of the flanges ii I, being mounted onstuds I22 supported by a carrier block I23, which floats vertically onplate I! I, as before, all as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6. The loadingrolls IMa thus engage and load the full inside surfaces of the flangesI2 I.

Fig. 7 shows another modification, illustrating the use of loadingrollers for stock of I-beam cross-section, which may be treated, ineiiect, as the equivalent of two channel members back to back. Theset-up here is in general the same as before, but with the exceptionthat the pinch rolls 9i and 94 are replaced by the widened pinch rollsQIa and (Mia matching the width of the flanges I35) of the I-beam, andthe rolls 92 and B5 are removed and their place occupied by a secondloading roll carrier block and guide plate assem bly. Thus, the guideplate liI supports block I3! carrying studs I32 bearing cylindricalloading rolls I33 entering in the channel on the one side of the I-beammember and supporting the flanges on that side, as illustrated. And asecond guide plate I 35, which may be exactly similar to the plate III,is supported on the extremities of the shafts I5 and I 8 by the washers9t and screws 91, being provided with a vertical guide slot I38receiving and guiding carrier block it! from which project studs I33bearing cylindrical load ing rolls I39 entering into the channel on theother side of the I-beam and supporting the flanges on that side, all asclearly illustrated in Fig. 7. It will of course be understood that theguide plate I35 is rotatably supported by the shaft I5, and that thevertical slot It!) formed in its upper portion passes shaft I8, all in amanner similar to the corresponding arrangements for the first-describedguide plate HI. Thus by this means stock of I-beam cross-section may beeffectively loaded from inside the flanges of its channel formations.

The described loading rolls adequately support the channel members frominside their flanges at the point of bend of the metal, serving tocontrol the metal as it bends, and preventing it from giving way,buckling, kinking, or twisting. To aid in eliminating all tendency totwist, the shaft carrying the upper pinch roll is sometimes tilted to avery slight angle, thus causing the flanges of the channel to be pinchedsomewhat more tightly at one edge than the other. By so pinching theflange at one edge, its thickness is slightly reduced at that edge, thedisplaced metal tending to flow longitudinally of the channel member,and by this means the flange may be caused to bend or twist somewhattoward the other edge. Proper adjustment of this pinching action on theflanges enables complete correction of 0x compensation for any tendencyto twist, provided, of course, the loading rolls are employed to supportthe flanges from inside. As an alternative to adjustment of the angle ofthe upper pinch roll shaft, the pinch rolls may be made with a veryslight taper, and a roll of proper taper selected for each job to behandled. In-

asmuch as the taper to be employed will be very slight, no attempt toillustrate such taper is made in the drawings.

We have now described and illustrated certain specific means by whichthe invention may be carried into practical efiect. It is to beunderstood, however, that this is for illustrative purposes only, andthat various changes in design, structure and arrangement may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or of theappended claims.

We claim:

1. In a bending roll having two pinch rolls between which a metal stripof channel crosssection may be passed, with the flanges oi the channelin engagement with the peripheries of the pinch rolls: a floatingcarrier member positioned adjacent the open side of the channel stripand mounted to float in a direction transversely thereof, and a pair ofloading rolls rotatably mounted on said carrier and entering into saidchannel and engaging and supporting said flanges against said pinchrolls.

2. In a banding roll having two pinch rolls between which a metal stripof channel crosssection may be passed, with the flanges of the channelin engagement with the peripheries of the pinch rolls: a floatingcarrier member positioned adjacent the open side of the channel stripand mounted to float in a direction transversely thereof, a pair ofparallel studs mounted on said carrier member and projecting therefrominto said channel, and a pair of loading rolls rtatably mounted on saidstuds within said channel and engaging and supporting said flangesagainst said pinch rolls.

3. In a bending roll having two pinch rolls between which a metal stripof channel crosssection may be passed, with the flanges of the channelin engagement with the peripheries of the pinch rolls: a carrier blockpositioned adjacent the open side of the channel strip, a guide memberhaving a guide way supporting and guiding said block for movement in adirection substantially parallel to a line intersecting the axes of thetwo pinch rolls, and a pair of loading rolls rotatably mounted on saidcarrier block and entering into said channel and engaging and supportingsaid flanges against said pinch rolls.

4. In a bending roll having two parallel pinch roll. shafts bearing apair of pinch rolls between which a metal strip of channel cross-sectionmay be passed, with the flanges of the channel in engagement with theperipheries of the pinch rolls: :1 carrier block positioned adjacent theopen side of thechannel strip, a guide member having a guide waysupporting and guiding said block for movement in a directionsubstantially parallel to a line intersecting the axes of the two pinchrolls, said guide member being supported by one of said pinch rollshafts and having an elongated slot passing the other of said shafts,and a pair of loading rolls rotatably mounted on said carrier block andentering into said. channel and engaging and sup orting said flangesagainst said pinch. rolls.

5. In a pinch type bending roll having two pinch rolls positioned onspaced, substantially parallel axes so as to present opposed peripheriesdefining an opening through which a metal strip of channel cross-sectionmay be passed, such strip including a web and a pair of flanges turnedat right angles from the two longitudinal edges thereof, and said pinchrolls being adapted to receive said strip therebetween with the outsidesurfaces of the two flanges of the channel in facial engagement with theperipheral faces of said pinch rolls: a pair of loading rolls, one foreach of said flanges, positioned between the opposed peripheries of saidpinch rolls and adapted to support said flanges against the opposedperipheral faces of said pinch rolls.

6. In a pinch type bending roll having two pinch rolls positioned onspaced, substantially parallel axes so as to present opposed peripheriesdefining an opening through while a metal strip of channel cross-sectionmay be passed, such strip including a web and a pair of flanges turnedat right angles from the two longitudinal edges thereof, and said pinchrolls being adapted to receive said strip therebetween with the outsidesurfaces of the two flanges of the channel in facial engagement with theperipheral faces of said pinch rolls: a pair of parallel cylindricalloading rolls, one for each of said flanges, positioned inside thechannel defined by said strip and between the opposed pe-' ripheries ofsaid pinch rolls and adapted to engage and support said flanges againstthe opposed peripheral faces of said pinch rolls.

'7. In a pinch type bending roll having two pinch rolls positioned onspaced, substantially parallel axes so as to present opposed peripheriesdefining an opening through which a metal strip of channel cross-sectionmay be passed, such strip including a web and a pair of flangesextending at right angles from the two longitudinal edges thereof, andsaid flanges having inwardly turned flange portions extending toward oneanother and presenting spaced parallel longitudinally eXtending edges,said pinch rolls being adapted to receive said strip therebetween withthe outside surfaces of the two flanges of the channel in facialengagement with the peripheral faces of said pinch rolls: a pair ofloading rolls positioned between the opposed peripheries of said pinchrolls and adapted to engage said longitudinally extending edges of saidflange portions to support said flanges against the opposed peripheralfaces of said pinch rolls.

8. In a pinch type bending roll having two pinch rolls positioned onspaced, substantially parallel axes so as to present opposed peripheriesdefining an opening through which a metal strip of chan nelcross-section may be passed, such strip including a web and a pair offlanges turned at right angles from the two longitudinal edges thereof,

and said pinch rolls being adapted to receive said strip therebetweenwith the outside surfaces of the two flanges of the channel in facialengagement with the peripheral faces of said pinch rolls: a carriermember positioned opposite the open side of the channel shaped strip andsupported for free floating movement in a direction substantiallyparallel to a line intersecting the axes of the two pinch rolls, and apair of loading rolls mounted on said carrier member, said rolls beingpositioned by said carrier member between the opposed peripheries ofsaid pinch rolls and in supporting relation with said flanges in amanner'to support said flanges against the opposed peripheral faces ofsaid pinch rolls.

9. In a pinch type bending roll having two pinch rolls positioned onspaced, substantially parallel axes so as to present opposed peripheriesdefining an opening through which a metal strip of channel cross-sectionmay be passed, such strip including a web and a pair of flanges turnedat right angles from the two longitudinal edges thereof, and said pinchrolls being adapted to receive said strip therebetween with the outsidesurfaces of the two flanges of the channel in facial engagement with theperipheral faces of said pinch rolls: a carrier member positionedopposite the open side of the channel shaped strip and supported forfree floating movement in a direction substantially parallel to a lineintersecting the axes of the two pinch rolls, and a pair of parallel,cylindrical loading rolls rotatably mounted on said carrier member ontransversely spaced axes parallel to the axes of said pinch rolls, saidrolls being adapted to enter into the channel of said strip and supportsaid flanges against the opposed pe- 5 ripheral faces of said pinchrolls.

JESS C. ROSE. GEORGE E. STANKEY.

